


Keeping Pace

by Rahenna



Series: Ace of Hearts [30]
Category: Gakuen Heaven 2 ~Double Scramble~
Genre: Age Difference, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Secret Relationship, Teacher-Student Relationship, Winter Break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 01:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7993690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahenna/pseuds/Rahenna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's winter break, and of course Yuki and Sakaki are taking advantage of the break to spend more time together. The professor attempts to sneak out of the apartment for an early morning jog, but Yuki insists on coming along. Derp ensues. :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Pace

**Author's Note:**

> Well, the GH2 fanbook was just released, and one of Sakaki's answers in the Q&A section says he gets up early and jogs 5-10K every morning (holy shit ahaha) soooo... this happened. 8D
> 
> ~~~
> 
> Contains spoilers for Gakuen Heaven 2. If you intend to play the game yourself, reading this may ruin your fun a bit. :)
> 
> Originally posted here:  
> [Adults Always Lie](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/lies/)
> 
> If you want to know more about the Gakuen Heaven series, please visit my fansite for game translations and summaries:  
> [welcome to Heaven](http://heaven.neo-romance.net/)

**Saturday, December 23, 2017**

The unpleasant buzz of my cell phone alarm roused me early on the morning of the first day of winter break. I silenced it immediately, sneaking a glance at Asahina - fast asleep, as expected - before pushing back the blanket and rolling out of bed, shivering as my bare feet came into contact with the chilly floor.

Asahina had insisted on accompanying me to the apartment right away, firmly declaring that we had to spend the entire winter break together, without wasting a single precious moment. I hadn't been able to find a reason to protest, so I'd allowed him to leave his overstuffed travel bag in the trunk of my car before class, and we'd left the island late in the evening, after most of the other students and staff had already fled the dorms. As far as I could tell, no one had seen us leave. If anyone challenged me later, I would simply say that I had given Asahina a ride, since he'd left so late that he missed the last bus.

_Well, it probably won't come to that. He's too lucky._

I stifled a yawn and began undressing, goosebumps rising as cool air swept over my skin. A couple of minutes later, I was wrapped in the familiar warmth of my winter running gear, complete with thick cushioned socks that protected against the unpleasant cold of the floor. I crept back toward the bed, retrieving my phone from its place on the nightstand, and was greeted by a sleepy grunt.

"Ngh? Huh...?" 

_Crap, I was hoping he would stay asleep..._

Asahina's eyes flickered open, pointing in my direction though they were still unfocused. He had to blink several times to settle his vision, and once that was done, his eyes widened. "Mm? Professor... why are you dressed like that? Are--" He cut himself off with a mighty yawn. "Ugh, what time is it...?"

I smiled despite myself; I never tired of seeing Asahina's sleepy face and the way his eyelids struggled to stay open while he stifled a yawn. "It's six. You can go back to sleep, Asahina, I'm just going out for a morning jog. I'll be back in less than an hour."

"Hm, a jog? But I thought you hated getting up early..." 

"Sunday is my day off. You just haven't seen me on a regular morning yet."

He was suddenly wide awake and sitting up in the bed. I tried not to stare as the blanket slipped down to pool in his lap, leaving his pale chest bare, small nipples tightening in response to the chill air. "I want to go too! Please wait for me, Professor, I'll get dressed right away!"

I considered denying his request, but where was the harm? Asahina was young and energetic, and to be honest, he could use a bit of regular training. "Yeah, that's fine. I was only planning on a slow 5K today, we can chat while we run."

"Woohoo! It's an exercise date with Professor Sakaki!" He flung off the blanket - thank god he was wearing his favorite blue pajama bottoms - and hopped out of bed, making a face as his feet hit the bare floor. "Wow, it got cold in here!"

"Heh, I forgot that you don't like the cold as much as I do. I should probably turn up the heat." I stepped out into the hallway to make the adjustment, purposely taking much longer than necessary to give Asahina time to get dressed. The last thing I needed was the distraction of his naked body rushing around the room in a cheerful frenzy.

_Hell, he's probably singing some sort of nonsense song about how happy he is right now..._

A minute later, Asahina emerged from the bedroom, wearing the Bell Liberty track pants and a heavy sweatshirt that had cute cartoon images of food printed across the chest. "Ready!"

I tugged on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "Do you have a long-sleeved t-shirt on under this, Asahina? You might get a bit overheated with this, and you'll want to take it off if you do."

"Yeah, I do!" He lifted up the hem to show me the matching t-shirt underneath.

"You're ridiculous, Asahina." I poked his nose. "Come on, let's put our shoes on and get moving. It's best to run early in the morning, before everyone else gets up."

~~~

_fifteen minutes later..._

"Urgh," Asahina huffed beside me, "Professor, when can we take a break?"

I somehow managed to suppress a sigh. Asahina had started complaining a mere five minutes into the run, insisting that he'd get worn out too quickly while trying to match my longer stride, so I'd slowed my pace a little. But only a few minutes after that, he began lagging behind again, and we'd paused for about a minute so he could pull off the sweatshirt and tie it securely around his waist. And now he was fussing again, despite the fact that we had slowed to a pace that could easily be beaten by a middle schooler in a general PE class.

"We can take a break when we finish our run. Come on, Asahina." I let myself get a few strides ahead, hoping that would encourage him to catch up, but instead he came to a full stop. I bounced to a halt and turned around to walk back to his side. "Asahina, it's too early to stop."

"But it hurts," he grumbled, reaching up to rub at his throat. The scratchy quality of his voice made _me_ wince. With the way he'd been wheezing for the past couple of minutes, I was sure his throat was going to be raw for a while.

"Asahina, you're not supposed to be breathing through your mouth, you'll give yourself a sore throat that way. Remember to breathe through your nose."

"But I can't," he whined, "I tried, but I can't get enough air that way. I feel like I'm going to suffocate. Plus you're going way too fast for me, I can't keep up at all!"

"I'm not sure I can slow down much more and still maintain good form. I'm used to running a 5K in about twenty minutes if I push myself a little." I grimaced, thinking of how this mess of a 'run' was going to affect the averages in my running app. I'd have to delete the record later.

"Twenty minutes!" Asahina's eyes were wide with disbelief. "Professor, you didn't tell me you were some sort of, of... running god or something! I bet you could even beat Tomo, he said he's no good at distance running!"

His sincere, if misinformed, praise was enough to restore my mood a bit. "I'm not _that_ good, Asahina," I protested modestly. "Kasahara could completely destroy me if he cared enough to do it."

That seemed to perk Asahina up as well. "Hehe. But Tomo would never do that..."

"What about you, Asahina? Are you going to let an adult get the better of you in athletics? And," I leaned in, voice dropping lower, "you're already reaping the benefits of my efforts. Aren't you inspired to get a little fitter yourself?"

His warm blush had nothing to do with the cold. "P, Professor! Is that why you exercise?"

I straightened up with a faint smile and shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with a bit of vanity, especially if it leads to healthy behaviors, right? Let's keep going. You set the pace, Asahina. And watch your form, sloppy running leads to injuries."

"Hehe, okay! Here I go!" He bounced off at a jog, taking care to keep his back straight and strides short. Unfortunately, they were also slow, barely more than a hasty shuffle. I could probably walk faster than he was 'running.' Still, I bit my tongue, remembering my early days of training back in university. I'd started tagging along with one of my upperclassmen in the math department, and he'd patiently explained the importance of starting slow and maintaining good form while building endurance every week.

A faint smirk came to my lips. _Yeah, we definitely built up plenty of endurance, in various senses._ I snuck a glance at Asahina, who was doing his best to keep his mouth shut as he jogged, brows drawn as he concentrated on his stride. _Though I suspect you have a few years to go before the concept of 'endurance' makes an appearance in the bedroom._

Honestly, I didn't mind too much. What Asahina lacked in stamina was made up for with enthusiasm and the bright cheer of his open personality. He loved everything about our relationship, not just the sex, but mundane things like sitting on the couch together and reading, snuggling up under a blanket and talking about nothing, or getting in each other's way as we attempted to make something edible for dinner. And now, exercise, determination etched on his face as he pushed himself.

_That's what makes you special, Asahina. Everything you do, you do it with all your strength._

But there was a limit to how far determination could carry a body that wasn't used to a certain level of exertion, and after a few minutes, Asahina came to a stop, placing his hands on his knees as he bent forward, panting. I touched his shoulder. "Asahina, are you okay?"

"Ugh," he groaned, pressing one hand to his stomach.

 _Did he overexert himself that much?!_ "Don't throw up, Asahina! Control your breathing. I'll get you some water." I looked up and down the street, trying to remember if there was a drink vending machine or convenience store nearby. But it was too late. A loud noise came from behind me, and I turned back toward Asahina, my heart sinking.

Except nothing had happened.

"Asahina? What was that noise just now? Are you okay?"

"Oh, ahaha..." Asahina straightened up, still clutching his stomach. His other hand reached up to scratch sheepishly at the side of his head. "S, sorry... I tried to tell you, but I couldn't catch my breath fast enough."

My eyebrows rose. "Was that your stomach?!"

"Uh, um, well! We didn't eat anything before we left, so I got hungry! Sorry, Professor... I didn't want to ask, since you wanted to go right away, and Tomo always says it's bad to run right after eating." He looked down at the sidewalk, shoulders slumping and a note of embarrassment in his voice as he continued, "Um... I don't think I can keep going without eating something, though."

I sighed. "You won't be _able_ to continue after eating. You'll make yourself sick if you try."

Asahina's broad shoulders hunched even more. "I know. I'm really sorry, Professor... I didn't mean to ruin your exercise, I just..."

_I just wanted to spend time with you._

His unspoken words stabbed at my heart. All of my frustration and irritation vanished in an instant, replaced with the warmth of tenderness. I stepped closer, reaching out to touch his shoulder again, not daring to risk anything more intimate in a public space. "Hey. Don't worry about it, Asahina, there are plenty of other days for running, but winter break won't last forever. Come on, there's a coffee shop less than a block in that direction." I pointed down the street. "I've been meaning to try it out for a while, but I never want to stop in the middle of a run. Now's the perfect opportunity."

Asahina glanced up at me, eyes misty. "Really? It's okay?"

"Of course it's okay." I squeezed his shoulder, then let my hand drop. "You _will_ be able to survive half a block of walking?"

"Uggggh," he groaned, setting off in the direction indicated. "I'm not _that_ weak, Professor!"

I shook my head with an amused snort, and led the way. The cafe was closer than I'd remembered, and by the time we reached it, Asahina was back to his usual cheery self.

"I wonder what kinds of stuff they have!" He peered at the colorful menus posted outside the door. "Wow, all sorts of pastries and breakfast sandwiches! And fancy coffee drinks, and they even do latte art! This one is so cute, with the kitty face!"

I could already feel my wallet crying.

Asahina was practically buzzing with excitement as he pushed open the door and bounced into the shop. We were immediately greeted by a young woman in a frilled apron. "Welcome! Today is the first anniversary of our shop's grand opening, so the first twenty guests today receive a free pastry of their choice with the purchase of any beverage! You're numbers five and six, so please enjoy!" She motioned toward a glass case filled with decadent snacks, everything from macarons to cupcakes.

"Wow, lucky!" Asahina's eyes went wide, and he zoomed over to the case to check out the selections. "Ooh, look at this pretty apple turnover! Oh, but I should get something with chocolate, after all, chocolate is the best... wow, a chocolate croissant!" His head swiveled one way and then the other as he tried to take in all the possibilities. "And these macarons... they're so small, but the one Sonoda-san gave me the other day was sooo flavorful, it had just as much impact as a big dessert! Or should I go for one of these jumbo muffins? The crumb topping on this one looks delicious..."

He looked like his head was going to explode from running all the mental calculations necessary to maximize his enjoyment of the treat. I shook my head, but my sigh was fond, not exasperated. "Asahina, you can pick two things. I don't want to eat dessert first thing in the morning."

"Huuuh? Professor, you're going to pass up a free pastry?! You can't do that!" He grabbed my arm as I attempted to walk by and hauled me over to the case with a strength he hadn't possessed a few minutes ago. "You at least have to pick something you like so you can have a bite! Come on, just one bite won't hurt!"

I had to admit, the artfully arranged desserts _did_ look rather tempting. I let my eyes sweep over the display, seeking something small and flavorful that wouldn't be a total calorie bomb. "Hmm, this fruit tart probably won't hurt, as long as I skip the crust."

"I'll eat the crust!" Asahina declared proudly.

"Yes, I know, but you really shouldn't. It's full of butter or lard, or both." I motioned to the man behind the counter. "Excuse me, I'd like this fruit tart. And he'll have..."

"I want the jumbo chocolate croissant, please!" Asahina pointed to the oversized pastry.

The man nodded, reaching into the case to retrieve the snacks. "Coming right up! They'll be free of charge if you each order a drink, would you like some coffee or tea to complement your pastries?"

"Yeah, make mine a large regular coffee with a splash of soymilk."

I was afraid that Asahina would spend forever scanning the coffee menu, but he piped up right away with his order. "And a large iced matcha latte for me! Can I get whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top too?"

"Of course, I'll get that for you right away. Here are your pastries. If you'd like to take a seat, I'll bring your drinks out as soon as they're ready."

I pulled out my wallet and shuffled over to the register where yet another employee was entering our order. "Really, Asahina, whipped cream _and_ chocolate syrup? You do realize that thing is already a glorified milkshake, and you just went and made it worse?"

"But it sounds delicious! And I don't know when I'll get to come here again, so I want to make the most delicious memory possible! And..." 

His cheeks pinked as our eyes met, and I knew he wanted to add something sappy about making memories together. Still, he managed to hold back as I paid, saving his cute addition until we were safely settled down at a table in the far corner.

"I want this to be a special memory for us, Professor..."

I didn't try to hold back my quiet chuckle. "Really, Asahina, you won't be able to remember something like this unless you tie it to food in some way?"

His face got even redder. "W, well, my food memory is really good, so..."

I took a quick glance around before leaning in, voice barely more than a whisper. "You're such a cute little glutton, Asahina. Do you love _me_ , or my ability to feed you?"

"Professor!" he protested, little nose wrinkling in frustration. "You don't really think that, do you?!"

I straightened up in my chair, laughing. "Of course not. But you're easy to tease."

"Geez," he huffed, but he was grinning as he picked up the croissant. "Here I go!"

We took our time at the coffee shop, sipping our drinks and sampling the pastries, talking about nothing of great importance. Fortunately, the cafe stayed rather empty the entire time, probably because everyone was sleeping in on the first day of winter break. It was a welcome change from our usual pattern, rushing from place to place without lingering too long, constantly worrying that we'd run into someone we knew, or that our closeness and familiarity would seem inappropriate to the strangers who surrounded us. It was rare that we had the chance to take our time together in a public space, laughing and smiling like an ordinary couple.

"Ahh," Asahina flopped back in his chair, bringing one hand to his belly, "that was amazing!"

I eyed the two empty plates and glass in front of him. "I can't believe you ate everything. That had to be more calories than I eat in a normal day."

"Huh? No way, the tart had fruit on top, so it was pretty healthy."

I resisted the urge to press my palm to my forehead. "No. No, it wasn't. The mere presence of a few pieces of fruit doesn't change the fact that there was a mini custard pie underneath."

Asahina frowned. "W, well... I already exercised, so it's okay!"

"That is _not_ how exercise works, Asahina..." I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time. "We should head back now, it's almost seven. I don't want to risk running into anyone we know."

For a moment, Asahina looked like he was about to protest, but then he nodded. "I guess you're right. I can't push my luck that much." He got up from the table and stretched, pausing with his arms overhead to look me in the eye. "But no running on the way back!"

"Definitely not," I agreed. "I don't want to end up wearing a partially digested chocolate croissant on my shoes."

"Urgh, I don't think I needed that mental image, Professor..."

We left the coffee shop and headed back to the apartment at a brisk walk, a comfortable silence between us as we both turned over the pleasant mini-date in our minds. When I peeked at Asahina's face, he was staring straight ahead with a contented smile, a dark pink spot high on his cheek. He stayed quiet until we reached a convenience store, pace slowing and head turning to peer at it as we passed.

"Mm, I wonder if they'd have it..."

I slowed down so I wouldn't leave him behind. "Hm, what is it, Asahina? Do you need to buy something that you forgot to pack in your travel bag?"

"Oh, no, I didn't forget anything! I was just wondering if they'd have the new limited edition flavor of toaster pastries that will only be available around Christmas time. They're sold out everywhere, but maybe I could get lucky..."

I snorted. "What, toaster pastries? You can't be serious. Let's go."

He folded his arms over his chest with a pout that would put a three year old to shame. "Buuut! I don't wanna eat oatmeal or cereal for breakfast! It's _vacation!_ "

I mirrored his pose. "Listen. If you want to pick up breakfast food, we can do it later. Right now I want to go home and take a shower. I may not have gotten in much of a run, but I still managed to sweat a little, and-- what?" Why was he making such a disgusted face?

"But we need breakfast stuff _now_ , or we'll have to eat oatmeal when we get back!"

"What?" It took a moment for my brain to decipher his illogical comment. "You're... expecting to eat breakfast when we get back? Then what was that at the cafe?"

"That was just a snack!"

I shouldn't have laughed at him. I knew I'd regret it later, when I had to soothe his hurt feelings and reassure him that I hadn't been laughing at _him_ , but the absurdity of his statement. I shouldn't have done it, but the stubbornness in his voice and the indignation in his huffy pose were just too much. And when his tone rose several octaves in shrill protest, I should have stopped myself instead of laughing harder.

But I was, after all, only human. And Asahina was ridiculous and adorable.

His anger cooled off by the time we reached the apartment, fiery protests dying down to lukewarm complaints and pouting. We paused in the entryway to remove our shoes, and as I straightened up, I stole a glance at his face. Pouty and blushing.

_And irresistible._

"Huh?" He looked up, scowling, as I leaned close. "What is it?"

I reached out to run my fingertips along the curve of his cheek. "You're so adorable, Asahina. Why don't we channel that fire into something a little more exciting?"

His angry look dissipated in an instant, replaced with a different type of heat. "P, Professor...?"

He offered no resistance as I gently grasped his shoulders, his feet shuffling backward as I pressed him toward the closed door. Wide green eyes dropped shut as I leaned in to claim pouting lips, and they parted without hesitation, his slender arms twining around my shoulders.

"M, mph," came the quiet sound from his throat as I tasted him, imagining that I could detect a hint of chocolate and cream on his eager tongue. That soft moan, barely more than a breath, turned to a grunt of protest when I pulled away, still gripping his shoulders.

"Professor, don't stop..."

"Oh, are you up for a little more exercise, then, Asahina?"

"Huh?" He tilted his head, confused. I could almost hear the gears clunking in his head, and his cheeks pinked the moment he understood my meaning. "O, oh! But... that's not exercise."

"Why not? You certainly squirm around enough." I kissed the tip of his nose.

"B, but! You can't use the word 'exercise' for something that's actually _fun!_ It's wrong!"

I had to step back to keep from bursting out laughing directly in his face.

"Ugggh, Professor! Don't laugh at me again!" He stamped his sock-clad foot on the wooden floor. "W, well! If you make me think it's exercise, I won't want to do it! I'm serious!"

I reached up to brush moisture from my eye. "Asahina, you're really amazing." I held out my other hand to him. "Very well, then. Shall we go _play_ in the shower? Does that sound better?"

He bit his lip in a vain attempt to keep his frown from transforming into a lusty grin, but Asahina was terrible at hiding his true feelings. His hand was hot when it gripped mine.

"Yeah. That sounds a _lot_ better..."

Asahina completely forgot about breakfast after that.

~ end ~


End file.
